Safety protocols for messaging service-enabled cloud services

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a cloud service interface  112  or a device interface  124  may filter messages in a message synchronization between a message service account and a cloud service account. A cloud service interface  112  or a device interface  124  may associate a message service account  114  on a user messaging device  110  with a cloud service account  122 . The cloud service interface  112  or a device interface  124  may execute a message synchronization between the cloud service account  122  and the message service account  114 . The cloud service interface  112  or a device interface  124  may apply a message filter to the message synchronization.

BACKGROUND

Advancements in a mobile computing have increased the number ofcommunication options available to a user. A mobile communicationdevice, such as a “smart phone” or a tablet computer, may allow a userto call another user over a mobile telephone network, e-mail anotheruser over a data network, participate in a chat session, or text anotheruser via a short messaging service (SMS). A short messaging service maysend a short text message, often of 160 characters or less, from asource mobile communication device to a target mobile communicationdevice. The short text message may be sent over a mobile telephonenetwork or over a data network. In one variation, a multimedia messagingservice may extend the capability of a mobile communication device tosend a text message to multiple recipients or to send multimedia, suchas text, pictures, audio, or video.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that is further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Embodiments discussed below relate to filtering messages in a messagesynchronization between a message service account and a cloud serviceaccount. A cloud service interface or a device interface may associate amessage service account on a user messaging device with a cloud serviceaccount. The cloud service interface or a device interface may execute amessage synchronization between the cloud service account and themessage service account. The cloud service interface or a deviceinterface may apply a message filter to the message synchronization.

DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and otheradvantages and features can be obtained, a more particular descriptionis set forth and will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsthereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understandingthat these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, implementationswill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a messagingnetwork.

FIG. 2 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a computingdevice.

FIG. 3 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a devicemessage sent or received by a message service account.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a cloudmessage sent to a device interface from a cloud service interface.

FIG. 5 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method formessage synchronization.

FIG. 6 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method forfiltering a device message.

FIG. 7 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method fordetecting a compromised account.

FIG. 8 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method forfiltering a cloud message.

FIG. 9 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method forprocessing a compromised account.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are discussed in detail below. While specificimplementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is donefor illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant artwill recognize that other components and configurations may be usedwithout parting from the spirit and scope of the subject matter of thisdisclosure. The implementations may be a machine-implemented method, atangible computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructionsdetailing a method stored thereon for at least one processor, or a usermessaging device.

A user messaging device may send messages via a message service account.A message is a text or media message capable of being sent over atelephone network, as opposed to an electronic mail sent just over adata network. The message may be sent over a data network, but isformatted for transmission over either the telephone network or the datanetwork. The message service account may be a short message serviceaccount or a multimedia message service account. The message serviceaccount may be tied to a specific user messaging device. Thus, if theuser messaging device is lost, damaged, or just not readily accessible,the user may not have access to any messages in the user messagingdevice. To counteract this, the user messaging device may upload anymessages received to a cloud service account for storage.

Additionally, a user messaging device may not have the convenient formfactor for producing messages that a laptop or desktop computer mayhave. The user may upload a text message to the cloud service accountfor download by the user messaging device. Alternately, the user maycompose a text message in the cloud service account for download by theuser messaging device. The user messaging device may then send out theuploaded message via the message service.

One problem with synchronizing messages between the message serviceaccount and the cloud service account is that, as the cloud serviceaccount may not be tied to the user messaging device, a malicious actormay more easily access the data stored in the cloud service account.Therefore, the user may not want sensitive data received by the usermessaging device to be uploaded to the cloud service account. Thissensitive data may include financial information, reset passwords,account information, and other data.

The user message device may prevent this by executing a message filteron the messages being uploaded to the cloud service account to removesensitive messages. The message filter may create a “whitelist” toindicate message sources that usually contain data that is not to beuploaded. This “whitelist” may be easily updatable by the user or themessage source. The message source may add a quarantine code to themessage indicating that the message is to be blocked from upload. Theuser message device may scan the content of the message to determine ifany sensitive data is present.

Additionally, a malicious actor may seek to connect a cloud serviceaccount to a user messaging device, or take over an existing cloudservice account, and download spam messages to the user messaging deviceto be sent to other users via the message service account. A spammessage is an unwanted advertisement message, a computer virus ladenmessage, or a phishing message. The cloud server may seek to block suchunwanted messages from being sent to the user messaging device.

The cloud server or user messaging device may prevent this by blockingmessages from a cloud service account with a poor reputation signifier,such as a reputation score. The cloud service account may have toexecute a two-factor authentication before being allowed to download amessage. A two-factor authentication uses two identity proofs toauthenticate a user. The cloud server or the user messaging device mayenforce a quota on messages. The cloud server or user messaging devicemay scan an outgoing message for spam content before sending the messageto a target messaging device. The cloud server or user messaging devicemay disable any hyperlinks in the outgoing message. The cloud server oruser messaging device may block any outgoing messages to an unlistedtarget.

Additionally, the user messaging device may monitor messaging activityto detect any spikes indicating a compromised account. Such spikes mayresult from a malicious actor hijacking the user message device. Theuser messaging device may send out a spam warning to any recentrecipients of messages from the user messaging device after acompromised account has been identified.

Thus, in one embodiment, a cloud service interface or a device interfacemay filter messages in a message synchronization between a messageservice account and a cloud service account. A cloud service interfaceor a device interface may associate a message service account on a usermessaging device with a cloud service account. The cloud serviceinterface or a device interface may execute a message synchronizationbetween the cloud service account and the message service account. Thecloud service interface or a device interface may apply a message filterto the message synchronization. For example, the message filter mayremove a message having a password reset or an authentication code.

FIG. 1 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a messagingnetwork 100. A user messaging device 110 may connect to a cloud server120 via a data network connection 130. The data network connection 130may be through the internet or over a mobile data network. The usermessaging device 110 may use a cloud service interface 112 to access acloud service account 122 via a device interface 124 on the cloud server120.

The user messaging device 110 may have a message service account 114 forsending messages. The message service account 114 may be for a shortmessage service or a multimedia messaging service. The user messagingdevice 110 may have a short message service (SMS) interface 116 forsending short text messages for a short message service account over amobile telephone network or over a mobile data network. The usermessaging device 110 may also have a multimedia messaging service (MMS)interface 118 for sending multimedia messages or broadcasting shortmessages for a multimedia messaging service account over a mobiletelephone network or over a mobile data network. The multimediamessaging service interface 118 may be integrated with the short messageservice interface 116.

The cloud service interface 112 may connect the message service accountto the cloud service account 122. Thus, the cloud service interface 112may transfer any message received by the user messaging device 110 viathe short message service interface 116 or the multimedia messagingservice interface 118 to the cloud service account 122 on the cloudserver 120. Further, the cloud service interface 112 may receive amessage stored in the cloud service account 122 to be transmitted viathe message service account 114.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary computing device 200which may act as a cloud server or a user messaging device. Thecomputing device 200 may combine one or more of hardware, software,firmware, and system-on-a-chip technology to implement a cloud server ora user messaging device. The computing device 200 may include a bus 210,a processor 220, a memory 230, a data storage 240, an input/outputdevice 250, a communication interface 260, a data interface 270, and acounter 280. The bus 210 or other component interconnection technologymay permit communication among the components of the computing device200.

The processor 220 may include at least one conventional processor ormicroprocessor that interprets and executes a set of instructions. Thememory 230 may be a random access memory (RAM) or another type ofdynamic storage device that stores information and instructions forexecution by the processor 220. The memory 230 may also store temporaryvariables or other intermediate information used during execution ofinstructions by the processor 220.

The data storage 240 may include a conventional ROM device or anothertype of static storage device that stores static information andinstructions for the processor 220. The data storage 240 may include anytype of tangible machine-readable medium, such as, for example, magneticor optical recording media, such as a digital video disk, and itscorresponding drive. A tangible computer-readable medium is a physicalmedium storing machine-readable code or instructions, as opposed to asignal. Having instructions stored on computer-readable media asdescribed herein is distinguishable from having instructions propagatedor transmitted, as the propagation transfers the instructions, versusstores the instructions such as can occur with a computer-readablemedium having instructions stored thereon. Therefore, unless otherwisenoted, references to computer-readable media/medium having instructionsstored thereon, in this or an analogous form, references tangible mediaon which data may be stored or retained. The data storage 240 may storea set of instructions detailing a method that when executed by one ormore processors cause the one or more processors to perform the method.The data storage 240 may also be a database or a database interface forstoring cloud account information.

The input/output device 250 may include one or more conventionalmechanisms that permit a user to input information to the computingdevice 200, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a voice recognition device, amicrophone, a headset, a gesture recognition device, a touch screen,etc. The input/output device 250 may include one or more conventionalmechanisms that output information to the user, including a display, aprinter, one or more speakers, a headset, or a medium, such as a memory,or a magnetic or optical disk and a corresponding disk drive.

The communication interface 260 may include any transceiver-likemechanism that enables computing device 200 to communicate with otherdevices. The communication interface 260 may include a network interfaceor a transceiver interface. The communication interface 260 may be awireless, wired, or optical interface. A data interface 270 may includeany mechanism that enables the computing device to communicate with adata network, such as the internet. The data interface 270 may be awireless, wired, or optical interface. The data interface 270 may beintegrated with the communication interface 260. A counter 280 may trackthe outbound message rate of the user messaging device 110.

The computing device 200 may perform such functions in response toprocessor 220 executing sequences of instructions contained in acomputer-readable medium, such as, for example, the memory 230, amagnetic disk, or an optical disk. Such instructions may be read intothe memory 230 from another computer-readable medium, such as thestorage device 250, or from a separate device via the data interface270.

Message filtering may be applied to a device message, a message receivedin the message service account 114 by the user messaging device 110 froma source messaging device. FIG. 3 illustrates, in a block diagram, oneembodiment of a device message 300. The device message 300 may have auser device address 302 identifying the user messaging device 110receiving the device message 300. The device message 300 may haveadditional recipient data 304 describing aspects of the recipient of thedevice message 300, in particular aspects that led to the user messagingdevice 110 receiving the message. The device message 300 may have anorigin address 306 identifying the source messaging device sending thedevice message 300. The device message 300 may have additional senderdata 308 describing aspects of the sender of the device message 300. Thedevice message 300 may have a body 310 containing the content of thedevice message 300. The device message 300 may have a quarantine code312, indicating that the device message 300 has sensitive content and isto be blocked from being transferred to the cloud service account 322.

Message filtering may also be applied to a cloud message, a messagecreated on a different device and uploaded to the cloud service account122 for later download and transmission by the user messaging device110. FIG. 4 illustrates, in a block diagram, one embodiment of a cloudmessage 400. The cloud message 400 may have a target address 402indicating the target messaging device receiving the cloud message 400.The cloud message 400 may have a cloud identifier (ID) 404 indicatingthe cloud service account 122 storing the cloud message 400. The cloudmessage 400 may have a location identifier 406 indicating thegeo-location from which the cloud message 400 was uploaded. The cloudmessage 400 may have a device identifier 408 indicating the device fromwhich the cloud message 400 was uploaded. The cloud message 400 may havea message code 410 that the user messaging device may check beforeallowing the cloud message 400 to be sent. The cloud message 400 mayhave a body 412 containing the content of the cloud message 400. Thecloud message 400 may have a hyperlink 414 linking to a set of web data,such as a web page.

The user messaging device 110 and the cloud server 120 may remove anymessages from synchronization that compromise the integrity of themessaging system. FIG. 5 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment ofa method 500 for message synchronization. The cloud service interface112 or the device interface 124 may associate a message service account114 on a user messaging device 110 with a cloud service account 122(Block 502). The cloud service interface 112 or the device interface 124may apply a message filter to a message synchronization between thecloud service account 122 and the message service account 114 todetermine if a message being synchronized is a quarantined message(Block 504). The cloud service interface 112 or the device interface 124may apply the message filter to a device message 300 to be transferredfrom the message service account 114 to the cloud service account 122.The device interface 124 or the cloud service interface 112 may apply amessage filter to a cloud message 400 to be transferred from the cloudservice account 122 to the message service account 114. The cloudservice interface 112 or the device interface 124 may execute themessage synchronization between the cloud service account 122 and themessage service account 114 (Block 506).

FIG. 6 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method 600 forfiltering a device message 300. A user messaging device 110 may receivea message device 300 in a message service account 114 from a sourcemessaging device (Block 602). The cloud service interface 112 mayidentify a message origin for the device message 300 using the originaddress 306 or the sender data 308 in the device message 300 (Block604). If the cloud service interface 112 identifies the device message300 as having a sensitive origin (Block 606), the cloud serviceinterface 112 may determine the device message 300 is a quarantinedmessage and block the device message 300 from being transferred to thecloud service account 122 (Block 608). A sensitive origin is a sourcemessaging device that tends to send data that the user may not wantuploaded to the cloud service account 122, such as a messaging devicefrom a bank that sends financial data.

The cloud service interface 112 may scan the device message 300 (Block610). If the cloud service interface 112 detects a quarantine code 312in the device message 300 (Block 612), the cloud service interface 112may determine the device message 300 is a quarantined message and blockthe device message 300 from being transferred to the cloud serviceaccount 122 (Block 608). If the cloud service interface 112 identifiesquarantine content in the device message 300 (Block 614), the cloudservice interface 112 may determine the device message 300 is aquarantined message and block the device message 300 from beingtransferred to the cloud service account 122 (Block 608). Quarantinecontent is content the user or other interested parties do not wanttransferred to the cloud service account 122, such as a reset password.The cloud service interface 112 or the device interface 124 maydetermine quarantine status without explicit user input.

If the user messaging device 110 does not receive any user input (Block616), the cloud service interface 112 may transfer the device message300 to a cloud server 120 for the cloud service account 122 (Block 618).Otherwise, the user messaging device 110 may receive a user input (Block620). If the user messaging device 110 receives a quarantine designationfrom the user (Block 622), the cloud service interface 112 may determinethe device message 300 is a quarantined message and block the devicemessage 300 from being transferred to the cloud service account 122(Block 608). If the user messaging device 110 receives a spamdesignation from the user (Block 624), the cloud service interface mayidentify the message source as a spam source (Block 626). The cloudservice interface 112 may determine the device message 300 is aquarantined message and block the device message 300 from beingtransferred to the cloud service account 122 (Block 608).

A compromised account may be identified at the user messaging device 110or elsewhere using any variety of techniques. For example, FIG. 7illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method 700 fordetecting a compromised account. The user messaging device 110 may senda device message 300 to a target messaging device (Block 702). The usermessaging device 110 may track an outbound message rate (Block 704). Theoutbound message rate may be measured in messages per minute, messagesper second, or messages per other units of time. If the outbound messagerate exceeds a spam threshold (Block 706), the user messaging device 110may designate the message service account 114 as a compromised account(Block 708). The cloud service interface 112 may send a spamnotification to the cloud server 120 (Block 710). The user messagingdevice 110 may compile a recent recipient list, describing recentrecipients of messages sent from cloud service account 122 via themessage service account 114 (Block 712). The cloud service interface 112may receive a spam warning generated by the cloud server 120 (Block714). The user messaging device 110 may send the spam warning to therecent recipient list (Block 716).

FIG. 8 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method 800 forapplying a message filter to a cloud message 400 to be transferred fromthe cloud service account 122 to the message service account 114. Thecloud server 120 may receive a cloud message 400 uploaded to the cloudservice account 122 (Block 802). The device interface 124 may check areputation signifier of the cloud service account 122 uploading thecloud message 400 (Block 804). The reputation signifier describes thereputation of the cloud service account 122, such as through areputation score. The reputation signifier may describe the number oftext messages per hour the cloud service account 122 has sent, or thenumber of complaints about the cloud service account 122. If thereputation signifier indicates that the cloud service account 122 issuspect (Block 806), the device interface 124 may block a cloud message400 from being sent to the user messaging device 110 (Block 808).

The device interface 124 may apply a two-factor authentication to thecloud message 400 (Block 810). A two-factor authentication uses twoforms of identity proof to authenticate the cloud service account 122,such as a familiar location identifier 406, a trusted device identifier408, a message code 410, or other identity proofs. If the cloud message400 does not pass the two-factor authentication (Block 812), the deviceinterface 124 may block a cloud message 400 from being sent to the usermessaging device 110 (Block 808).

The device interface 124 may enforce a message quota on the cloudmessage 400 (Block 814). The message quota may limit the number of cloudmessages 400 that may be sent out in a set time period. If the cloudmessage 400 exceeds the message quota (Block 816), the device interface124 may block a cloud message 400 from being sent to the user messagingdevice 110 (Block 808).

The device interface 124 may scan a cloud message for spam content(Block 818). If the device interface 124 identifies spam content in thecloud message 400 (Block 820), the device interface 124 may block acloud message 400 from being sent to the user messaging device 110(Block 808). The device interface 124 may identify the target messagingdevice (Block 822). If the cloud message 400 is to be sent to anunlisted target (Block 824), the device interface 124 may block a cloudmessage 400 to the unlisted target from being sent to the user messagingdevice 110 (Block 808). Otherwise, the device interface 124 may disableany hyperlink 414 in the cloud message 400 to avoid sending a recipientto a malicious website (Block 826). The device interface 124 maytransfer the cloud message 400 to the user messaging device 110 (Block828).

The cloud server 120 may use multiple techniques to identify acompromised account. For example, the cloud server 120 may have thecompromised account identified by the user messaging device 110 or thetarget messaging device. Additionally, the cloud server 130 may receivea compromised account notification from other services.

FIG. 9 illustrates, in a flowchart, one embodiment of a method 900 forprocessing a compromised account. The device interface 124 may receive aspam notification from the user messaging device 110 (Block 902). Thedevice interface 124 may generate a spam warning to be sent to a recentrecipient list (Block 904). The device interface 124 may send the spamwarning to the user messaging device 110 to be sent to the recentrecipient list (Block 906).

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, thespecific features and acts described above are disclosed as exampleforms for implementing the claims.

Embodiments within the scope of the present invention may also includenon-transitory computer-readable storage media for carrying or havingcomputer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Suchnon-transitory computer-readable storage media may be any availablemedia that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and notlimitation, such non-transitory computer-readable storage media cancomprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othermedium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means inthe form of computer-executable instructions or data structures.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofthe non-transitory computer-readable storage media.

Embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices thatare linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or by acombination thereof) through a communications network.

Computer-executable instructions include, for example, instructions anddata which cause a computer or processing device to perform a certainfunction or group of functions. Computer-executable instructions alsoinclude program modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone ornetwork environments. Generally, program modules include routines,programs, objects, components, and data structures, etc. that performparticular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, andprogram modules represent examples of the program code means forexecuting steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequenceof such executable instructions or associated data structures representsexamples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions describedin such steps.

Although the above description may contain specific details, they shouldnot be construed as limiting the claims in any way. Other configurationsof the described embodiments are part of the scope of the disclosure.For example, the principles of the disclosure may be applied to eachindividual user where each user may individually deploy such a system.This enables each user to utilize the benefits of the disclosure even ifany one of a large number of possible applications do not use thefunctionality described herein. Multiple instances of electronic deviceseach may process the content in various possible ways. Implementationsare not necessarily in one system used by all end users. Accordingly,the appended claims and their legal equivalents should only define theinvention, rather than any specific examples given.

We claim:
 1. A machine-implemented method, comprising: associating adevice-specific message service account on a user messaging device witha cloud service account; receiving, with the user messaging device, adevice message in the device-specific message service account; applyinga message filter to the device message to determine whether the devicemessage has sensitive data; blocking the device message from beingtransferred to the cloud service account to prevent the sensitive datain the device message being uploaded to the cloud service accountlimiting the sensitive data to the user messaging device.
 2. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: identifying a device message as having asensitive origin.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:detecting a quarantine code in the device message indicating the devicemessage has sensitive data to be blocked from upload.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: identifying quarantine content in thedevice message not to be transferred to the cloud service account. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a quarantinedesignation from a user.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:applying the message filter to a cloud message to be transferred fromthe cloud service account to the device-specific message service accountfor transmission from a user messaging device to a target messagingdevice; and blocking the cloud message from being transferred from thecloud service account to the device-specific message service account. 7.The method of claim 6, further comprising: tracking an outbound messagerate for the user messaging device for a spike in messaging.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, further comprising: designating the cloud serviceaccount as a compromised account when the outbound message rate exceedsa spam threshold.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: sendinga spam warning to a recipient list describing recipients from the usermessaging device since the spike in messaging.
 10. A tangiblecomputer-readable medium having a set of instructions detailing a methodstored thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause theone or more processors to perform the method, the method comprising:associating a cloud service account with a device-specific messageservice account on a user messaging device; applying a message filter toa cloud message to be transferred from the cloud service account to thedevice-specific message service account for transmission from a usermessaging device to a target messaging device; tracking an outboundmessage rate for the user messaging device for a spike in messaging;designating the cloud service account as a compromised account if whenthe outbound message rate exceeds a spam threshold; and generating aspam warning to be sent to a recent recipient list describing recipientsfrom the user messaging device since the spike in messaging.
 11. Thetangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the methodfurther comprises: checking a reputation signifier of the cloud serviceaccount.
 12. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10, whereinthe method further comprises: applying a two-factor authentication tothe cloud message.
 13. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim10, wherein the method further comprises: enforcing a message quota onthe cloud message.
 14. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim10, wherein the method further comprises: identifying spam content inthe cloud message.
 15. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim10, wherein the method further comprises: disabling a hyperlink in thecloud message.
 16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 10,wherein the method further comprises: blocking the cloud message frombeing sent to an unlisted target.
 17. The tangible computer-readablemedium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises: receiving,with the user messaging device, a device message in the device-specificmessage service account; applying a message filter to the device messageto determine whether the device message has sensitive data.
 18. A usermessaging device, comprising: a communication interface that receives adevice message in a device-specific message service account and sends acloud message from a cloud service account from the device-specificmessage service account over a telephone network; a processor thatassociates the device-specific message service account with the cloudservice account and applies a message filter to the device message todetermine whether the device message has sensitive data and the cloudmessage to be transferred from the cloud service account to thedevice-specific message service account for transmission to a targetmessaging device; and a data interface that blocks transferring thedevice message to a cloud server for the cloud service account when themessage filter determines that the device message has the sensitive datalimiting the sensitive data to the user messaging device and blockstransmitting the cloud message when determined to be spam.
 19. The usermessaging device of claim 18, wherein the device-specific messageservice account is at least one of a short message service account and amultimedia messaging service account.
 20. The user messaging device ofclaim 18, further comprising: a counter that tracks an outbound messagerate.